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Pampa approves contract with Texas Communities Group to pursue clusters of abandoned properties
Summary
The commission authorized a contract with Texas Communities Group to aggregate and market groups of abandoned/tax-delinquent parcels to return them to the tax roll; staff said roughly 250 parcels with about five years of delinquent taxes are on the initial list and the program will use grouped tax warrants to reduce per-property legal cost.
The Pampa City Commission authorized the city manager to enter a service agreement with Texas Communities Group (TCG) to identify, aggregate and pursue batches of abandoned or tax-delinquent properties through a grouped tax-warrant process. Staff presented the program as a way to return low-value, chronically delinquent parcels to the tax roll and to generate restricted cleanup funds.
Carrie Rushing, who briefed the commission, said the city and county currently have roughly 250 parcels that meet the program's criteria for abandonment and five years of delinquent taxes. She said the combined tax value on those parcels was cited at about $30,000 during the briefing. Under the TCG approach, a single tax warrant or suit (a grouped filing) would be filed with a single filing fee (about $350) covering many properties, rather than paying a separate $350 filing for each parcel. TCG will market and advertise struck-off properties, post signs at properties, take photographs, and attempt to match nearby or local buyers; TCG's fee model discussed at the meeting was roughly $200 per property sold.
Commission discussion focused on process details: staff said the city will sign an affidavit identifying abandoned properties, the process from suit to initial sale takes roughly three months, and proceeds from struck-off sales will be placed in a restricted fund to pay for demolition or cleanup of properties the city acquires. The commission also discussed interlocal agreements with Gray County, the school district, Clarendon College and the groundwater district; staff reported those partners are generally supportive or unaffected by the program.
Supporters argued the approach reduces per-property legal costs, allows the city to group small parcels into manageable suits (staff cited a pilot goal of about 30 properties per suit), and would create a growing cleanup fund if sales occur. Commissioners asked about compensation, contract length and the possibility of giving neighbors notice or first opportunity to purchase; staff said neighbors would be marketed to and signs would notify local owners.
The motion to authorize the contract passed by voice vote.
Provenance: topicintro SEG 466: "Consider authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract service agreement with Texas Communities Group LLC consulting services related to abandoned property demolition and redevelopment strategies." topicfinish SEG 916: "Motion carries."
